> [[364-the-end-of-the-world|← 364. The End of the World]] | [[-divine-intimacy-toc|TOC]] | [[366-the-reciprocal-gift|366. The Reciprocal Gift →]] --- # 365. The Yes of Perfect Consent PRESENCE OF GOD - Lord, grant that I may give You the free and full consent of my will. ## Meditation 1 St. John of the cross very aptly says that the characteristic of union of wills is the yes of the soul’s “free consent” (LF 3,24) by which it gives itself entirely to God, surrendering itself completely to Him by the full and total gift of its will. In other words, the soul is henceforth so determined not to will anything but God and His good pleasure, that in every circumstance it only repeats its yes, by accepting with love all that He wills and does for it. This yes is effective, and not simply A desire; it is A yes by which the soul truly gives itself with all the generosity of which it is capable From the beginning of the spiritual life, the fervent soul should desire to give itself to God without reserve, always saying yes to Him. But in practice, being still hampered by the bonds of passions and attachment to creatures, it often happens that the soul’s gift is not a complete one. Frequently, in the concrete instances of life, when faced with the bitterness of renunciation and interior conflict, its ideal yes is changed into a virtual no. In the state of union, however, this is no longer true. Here the soul is so surrendered to the holy will of God that it does not take back anything of its gift; its yes is so definitive and efficacious that it offers and unites the soul to God as a bride to her Bridegroom; that is why the mystics call this state “spiritual espousals.” It is important to realize, that, on the part of the soul, the intensity of its union with God depends on the perfection of its yes; it should be a consent that is perfect in breadth and in depth: in breadth, because it should extend not only to what God commands, but even to all that He desires, to all that would give Him greater pleasure. Love must keep the soul so vigilant and attentive that it can discern in various circumstances what pleases God most, and this same love should make the soul generous enough to accomplish all without the least hesitation. The yes must be equally perfect in depth, because the soul should adhere to the divine good pleasure, not with negligence, niggardliness, nor even with the slightest bad grace, but with all the ardor of its will, happy to be able to give itself to God, whatever sacrifice this might entail. ## Meditation 2 The soul must apply itself to saying its yes perfectly, especially in the sense that Jesus has indicated to us in His great commandment of charity, which is the foundation, not only of the whole law, but of all sanctity. St. Teresa of Avila says expressly: “Here the Lord asks only two things of us: love for His Majesty and love for our neighbor. It is for these two virtues that we must strive, and if we attain them perfectly, we are doing His will, and so shall be united with Him” ([[tj-interior-castle-ccel|Int C]]) V, 3). But the attention of the Saint is immediately turned to charity toward our neighbor, because she sees in it the surest sign of the love of God, and also because she knows that this is a very vulnerable point. It is not uncommon that, after having said yes to Our Lord in the face of sacrifice, renunciation, or works of greater importance, some no is permitted to escape in connection with fraternal charity. Speaking of certain faults which insinuate themselves very secretly into the soul, and hinder it from attaining union, St. Teresa singles out, besides self-love and self-esteem, “criticism of our neighbors (even if only in small things), lack of charity toward them, and failure to love them as we love ourselves” (ibid.). As long as we find in ourselves failings of this kind, however slight, it is a sign that our gift to God is not complete, that our yes is not perfect. God wants us to love our neighbor, whoever he may be, and to love him perfectly: “This is My commandment,” Jesus said, “that you love one another, as I have loved you” (Jn 15,12). How can we be united to the will of God, if we do not fulfill this commandment with great diligence? “I tell you,” warns St. Teresa, “that doing what I have said [that is, practicing fraternal charity with perfection], you will not fail to obtain this union, but, if you find that you are lacking in this virtue [of fraternal charity], you should be persuaded that you will never reach it, although you may have devotion and consolation so that you think that you have attained it.” And she concludes with this beautiful assertion: “So dearly does His Majesty love us that He will reward our love for our neighbor by increasing the love we bear to Himself, and that in a thousand ways: this I cannot doubt” ([[tj-interior-castle-ccel|Int C]]) V, 3). ## Colloquy “O infinite God, I wish to offer and consecrate myself unceasingly to You on the altar of my heart. First of all, I offer You my soul, Your spouse, ransomed with Your precious Blood. I offer it as a place of repose for Your Majesty, that it may be transformed in You, no longer living of itself, but only with Your life. “O divine Wisdom, I offer You my intellect avid for knowledge, that You may quench its thirst by enabling it to comprehend Your grandeurs! Enlighten my darkness, and let me taste You in that very sweet knowledge which inflames my heart with love. “Next, O most beautiful Spouse of my soul, I offer You my will which seeks You above all else, to love You with an eternal ardor, and be united to You forever. Deign, O Lord, that my will may detach itself from all creatures and, soaring aloft, elevate itself to You; then, in the slumber of pure love, let it repose in the cavern of Your Heart. O delightful cavern, when shall I hide within You, and hear the pulsations of that Heart which gives me life and salvation? “But why, O my God, do I offer You my soul with its faculties, when I am already all Yours by creation and, even more, by Redemption? Is there some advantage for You, O most lovable Life, in this gift and offering which I would make to Your majesty and greatness? No, certainly it is not for Your interest, but for mine, O immortal Life, that I offer and give myself to You, since I know with certainty that my happiness consists in uniting myself to You” (Ven. John of Jesus Mary). --- ## Reference Int C - [[tj-interior-castle-ccel|Interior Castle]] # References LF - [[jc-living-flame|Living Flame of Love by Saint John of the Cross]] Int C - [[tj-interior-castle-ccel|Interior Castle (Mansions) by Saint Teresa of Avila]] --- ![[bibliography#^biblio-di]] > [[364-the-end-of-the-world|← 364. The End of the World]] | [[-divine-intimacy-toc|TOC]] | [[366-the-reciprocal-gift|366. The Reciprocal Gift →]]